Morocco 2024

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Trip start
June 19, 2024
Morocco 2024 Emma Harvey-Robinson
Manchester to Marrakech
June 19, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Surreal to be out working until lunchtime, then setting off to the airport. Haven’t seen Allen in months as he’s been adventuring around Europe in his motorhome, so we’re very excited to see him, and Anne joining too tomorrow! Our “international travel crew” 🥰

We had a dramatic flight - delayed on runway 1.5hrs due to a technical issue, then medic needed. Finally landed and passport control was very slow (have to give info on where staying, occupation and have printed boarding passes), but we eventually got outside to find our taxi driver. He dropped us on a main road after around 20
minutes and we were lead down a maze of alleyways… they became quieter and quieter and I told Kate I began to feel uneasy.
There were some kids out playing football, and we came to an unremarkable looking door, inside which Allen was waiting for us! We were so happy to see him, and discover our beautiful Riad (guesthouse) - Les Jardins Mandelines.
It was nice to meet Akhmed (the manager), who we later had to tell that our husbands are at home and we are the daughters from Al’s first and second marriage… from what we read about Morroco’s conservatism we thought better than to tell the truth.

It was late so we had a meal near to the Riad - had to be veg tagine and couscous. So interesting to wind down the Aladdin like alleys and take in the array of vendors, colours, noises and smells.Read more
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Morocco 2024 Emma Harvey-Robinson
City tour and Anne’s Arrival
June 20, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Woke up excited for our first full day in Morocco! Enjoyed breckie on the Riad roof terrace - felt quite hot already (later climbed to 35 degree dry heat!).

We then walked through the Souks via the main Medina square to meet Sara our guide for a walking tour. She was brilliant and told us about the community ovens, schooling and healthcare. We stopped for traditional sand warmed coffee with delicious spices - cinnamon, turmeric, ginger etc… we saw leather being stitched (finally found some pouffes for the lounge which Allen enjoyed bartering down for us!) and a ceramics craftsman at work…

It was like wacky races picking Anne up from the airport that evening weaving around the bikes, taxis, trucks and horses.

We enjoyed a meal at Salama sky bar catching up and the most delicious iced tea. Back to the Riad through the bustling square which had come alive at night - people sat around stalls eating snails (apparently a local delicacy), selling spices, bags, kitchenware, snake charmers, (sadly) tourists having photos with monkeys on chains. A vibrant atmosphere - stark comparison to our oasis of a Riad.Read more
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Morocco 2024 Emma Harvey-Robinson
Desert Dreams 🐪
June 21, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
A relaxed morning enjoying Moroccan breakfast on the terrace - sweet and Savoury pancakes, cheese and cake.

Went for a walk beyond our local souks, getting lost in the residential alleys. Lots to see, street cats, peeking through small doorways seeing family homes or people in lines praying, bustling streets and stalls; contrasted by deserted ones (people still away on holidays after Eid last week). Interesting to see the Hammans (wash houses) where people scrub once per week, in addition to ablutions 5 times daily before prayer.

A few hours back at the Riad, then we set off for the highlight of the trip - “Desert Dreams”. One of the best air b&b experiences I’ve done - we rode out to the Afgay desert with Mohammed (a much safer driver than yesterday), stopping for tea and browse an Argan oil women’s co operative.

We arrived at the Berber camp, were given some traditional dress and mounted our camels. This was a real experience being so high up and swaying as the giant hoofs negotiated the rocky dunes. After a delicious 3 course meal under our makeshift desert cabana watching the sunset (best tagine of the trip!) then music and dancing around the campfire. This was an incredible surprise, and as we moved around the fire linking arms with the 20 or so others under the full moons’s light it felt like something from a film, a really special experience.Read more
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Morocco 2024 Emma Harvey-Robinson
Dont Go Chasing Waterfalls…
June 22, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
Up bright and early meeting our transport at 7.30 to the Ouzoud Waterfalls. There was an interesting lack of suspension on the bus, but we were thankful for air conditioning. Stopped for a coffee and some biscuits for breakfast half way, and after 3 hours arrived at the falls.

Learned this is the second largest waterfall in Africa after Victoria Falls. As pretty as they were it felt like a real crowded tourist trap, though taking the small boat (a “Berber titanic”) to the foot of the falls was cool. There were people (well only men and boys) swimming and jumping from the rocks… given the volume of people, donkeys and rubbish around we didn’t fancy it anyway.

Options for lunch were - tagine, tagine, tagine or tagine 😂 I didn’t mind one bit, enjoying the slightly different combinations of herbs and spices (more turmeric here) with the tender delicious veggies. We climbed the 500 steps back to the top, checking out the native monkeys on the way, then boarded the coach back to the city, stopping for an ice cream half way. Really nice to get out of the city and see more of the low Atlas Mountains, ongoing rural developments, and more questionable road safety standards…

Our last night in Marrakech - wandered down to the square one last time Jamaa El-Fnaa. Weaved through the Saturday night crowds - music, dancers, vendors… Took a chance on one of the food stands which turned out to be pretty yummy - an array of skewers, grilled veggies, cous cous, bread and spicy dip! Al had a whole pineapple juiced for him, we wandered round and walked home through the Souks with ice cream.Read more
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Morocco 2024 Emma Harvey-Robinson
Sunday Hammam - squeaky clean & relaxed
June 23, 2024 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 39 °C
Sad to say our last full day. I’ve enjoyed the colours of Marrakech and the humour of the Moroccan’s (strangely similar to Allen’s!). It’s been a little hot (almost 40 degrees) So glad we didn’t come in July or August!

Breckie on the terrace, then a last wander round the Souks to find our coffee man from day 1. Introduced Anne to traditional coffee heated on Sahara sand and finally picked up some little coffee cups.
As usual, we got a little lost finding the Riad and discovered more streets - Google tells me there are 18 Souks, no wonder it’s like a maze!

Made it back for our 12 o clock Hammam. This is a fabulous full body cleanse in the hotel’s hot steam chamber. We were scrubbed and exfoliated with black soap scrub then a fragrant clay mask. A combination of firm pressure and Kessa glove meant a shocking amount of dead skin fell off (we couldn’t help but laugh). After our hair was scrubbed and we dried off we’d never felt as smooth. We were told a Hammam is traditionally taken weekly on a Friday by Moroccans, and is a ritualistic cleanse, more thorough than the 5 daily ablutions washing hands, face and feet before prayer. After this and a firm massage in the spa room next door we were relaxed, cleansed and reluctantly got ready to head to the airport…Read more
Gillian MichaelWhat do I say - exfoliate and moisturise!
6/23/24Reply
Emma Harvey-RobinsonI know - this is the one and only time I’ll be as silky smooth as you 🤣😘
6/23/24Reply
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Morocco 2024 Emma Harvey-Robinson
2
Back home!
June 24, 2024 in England ⋅ 🌙 14 °C
Marrakesh airport was pretty horrendous - 6 different queues, various pointless checks and stamps on our boarding cards (which had to be printed prior to arrival).

Nonetheless, we enjoyed a lovely fresh pizza and tasty salad from a restaurant, popped to the loo (dodged the cockroach, but interesting feet washing stalls).
Getting there 3.5 hours early was about right from what we’d heard/read.

Ironically after all those checks, in yet another line to walk onto the runway and board the plane, we joked with fellow travellers about the marujana smell wafting around. It was nerve wracking as Manchester airport had been affected by power cuts (awful scenes of left luggage when we walked past the carousels) but we were lucky to land on time, hopped in an Uber and collected our car without issue.

All in all glad we visited Marrakech. It was so nice to see Al and experience such a different culture. Unforgettable colours, sights and smells.
I’d say the biggest win was getting our two new pouffes home without extra baggage charges (this took a lot of savvy pocket packing and wearing a few layers!)
Though the lounge does now smell like camel 🤣Read more
Gillian Michael There no way you fitted a pouffe in that rucksack? !
6/24/24Reply
Emma Harvey-Robinson I had other personal items tucked in places I don’t care to disclose… worth the sacrifice 🤣
6/24/24Reply
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Trip end
June 23, 2024

Manchester to Marrakech

City tour and Anne’s Arrival

Desert Dreams 🐪

Dont Go Chasing Waterfalls…

Sunday Hammam - squeaky clean & relaxed

Back home!